Administrative debilities in the Decline of the Old Oyo Empire

                 
                
    Oyo empire continued in her territorial and commercial expansion throughout the 17th century. During this century the greatness and strength of the Oyo imperial authority was evidenced by her influence throughout the Yoruba nation and far beyond to the modern day Benin Republic. Oyo controlled coastal ports and procured tributes from a good number of vassal states. Owing to this administrative and economic set up, Oyo empire by any standard became a majestic empire in the 17th century.
           However, Oyo empire began a period of unceremonious decline in the 18th century. This period of retrogression was due to many factors which as a matter of fact have been broadly discussed by different historians. Notwithstanding, a good number of scholars conjoin on the position that the greatest challenge that bedevilled the empire was also that factor for her greatness: the administrative organisation. In the light of an array of factors that led to the subtle decline of Oyo in the 18th century, the administrative debilities and it quota in the decline of this great Yoruba empire has become even more imperatively a subject of scholarly consideration. Nonetheless, this does not mean that other factors like the plagued economic background, declaration of independence by vassal and tributary states, the opening of transatlantic trade, et cetera did not contribute to the decline. Infact, some of these factors glorified the power controversy of the second half of the 18th century.
          The 18th century began with the reign of Alaafin Ojigi (1694-1724), a warrior stouthearted king. Alaafin Gberu Amuniwaye and Alaafin Onisile expanded the imperial authority of Oyo both in wealth and territory. Administrative trouble however began during the reign of Alaafin Labisi who designated a desirous Bashorun, probably due to support he gor from him (Gaa) during the crown contest. This appointment proved rather perilous because Gaa was resolved to control the entirety of the empire himself. Gaa who was appointed in 1754 dominated the political scene between his years of appointment and 1774. Gaa was able to force Alaafin Labisi to commit suicide, as required of a repudiated Alaafin. Furthermore, Gaa was able to compel the rejection and subsequent death of yhree Alaafin-Awonbioju, Agboluaje, and Majeogbe- in quick succession.
           It was thereafter recorded that Bashorun Gaa himself selected Alaafin abiodun whom he thought would be very much susceptible to his manipulation and command. Soon, misunderstanding ensued between Alaafin Abioeun and Bashorun Gaa. This misunderstanding, like before, broke out as a result of the prime minister's highhandedness and thirst for power. That European historian, Law, commenred that the misunderstanding between alaafin Abiodun and Bashorun Gaa was particularly spurred by the inception of European trade at different ports controlled by the Oyo imperial empire. He continued and explained that Bashorun and Alaafin were loggerhead as regard the sharing formula for the wealth derived from the trade with the Europeans. Akinjogbin had a different position to this: since Alaafin Abiodun was a trader before he became the Alaafin, he favoured an economic policy of improving trade and exploiting commercial benefit from the vassal states; Bashorun on the other hand advanced a militaty expansion. Hence, a misunderstanding ensued.
          Eventually, Alaafin Abiodun was able to put an end to the unmitigated menace of Bashorun Gaa. With the help pf Are Onakakanfo Oyabi, Abiodun exterminated the family of Bashorun Gaa. However, the demise of Bashorun Gaa did not bring lasting peace to the empire. Few years after the death of Bashorun Gaa, the Egbas, under Lisabi, took advantage of the intrigues at the capital to declare their independence. Subsequently, the Bariba also declared a unilateral independence against the imperial authority of Oyo. An expedition sent against the Bariba was repelled in 1783. The relatively peaceful reign of Alaafin Abiodun ended in 1789, and Awole became the Alaafin in the same year.
          During the reign of Alaafin Awole (1789-1796), the process of disintegration of Oyo empire continued. Awole could not effectively control the Oyomesi and incurred the disfavour of a large section of the population. He challenged tradition and attempted to introduce Islam into Yorubaland. He ordered the attack of Iwere Ile, the maternal home of Alaafin Ajagbo. Implicitly, he wanted to test the loyalty of the Kakanfo of the day with an arduous task: Kakanfo Afonja instead of marching straight to Iwere Ile killed the royal messenger who had accompanied him on the expedition. In this plot, he was supported by other chiefs who disliked Awole. Awole was thus forced to commit suicide and Afonja thereafter declared his base at Ilorin independent of Oyo.
          Before Awole's death in 1796, he cursed the empire: 'My curse be on you for your disobedience, so let your children disobey you. If you send them on an errand, let them never gaincome to bring you words again. To all the points i shot my arrows will ye be carried as slaves. My curse will be carried to the sea and beyoud the sea, slaves will rule over you, and ye their masters will become slaves. Broken calabash can be mended but not a broken dish; so let my words be irrevocable'.
          Obviously, the central administration became paralysed by constitutional upheaval, political intrigues, local particularism, imperial bureaucratic breakdown, highhandedness and overt thirst for power. Alaafin Adebo and Alaafin Maku, who proceeded Alaafin Awole reigned for probably a period not more than 200 days.
           Finally, this piece does not stand to represent in totality all the political and administrative developments in the decline of the old Oyo empire: every well researched intellectual opinion or criticisms duely presented are not disregarded.